International Studies Thesis Guidelines and Deadlines
IS Senior Thesis Declaration Form
Overview
The International Studies program offers majors the opportunity to write a thesis in their regional and disciplinary specialization. The thesis must be written over at least two terms. To receive departmental honors, students must write a thesis.
All East Asian Studies students must write a thesis over the Fall-Winter terms. Students in other tracks have the option, in addition, of writing a Winter-Spring, Fall-Spring, or Spring-Fall thesis. However, students wishing to write a Fall-Spring or Spring-
Fall thesis must get specific approval for such a schedule from the appropriate track director. Students should be aware that some departments have certain restrictions and prerequisites that may result in a three term project/thesis.
Eligibility
Any IS student with an International Studies GPA* of 3.3 may write a senior thesis. Students who do not have the 3.3 IS GPA may write a thesis only with the approval of both a thesis advisor and the track director.
Beginning with theses submitted in the Fall semester, 2008, only students with an IS GPA* of 3.5 may write a senior thesis.
(*See below for the definition of the International Studies GPA.)
Honors
Honors are awarded to students who 1) write a thesis with a grade of B+ or better and 2) have a GPA of at least 3.3 in their IS courses. High honors are awarded to students with a GPA of at least 3.5 and a thesis grade of A-, and Highest honors are awarded to students with a GPA of at least 3.7 and a thesis grade of A.
Beginning with theses submitted in the Fall semester, 2008, the requirements for honors will change. At that time, honors will be awarded to students with a GPA of 3.5 and a thesis grade of B+, high honors to students with a GPA of 3.7 and a thesis grade of A- or A, and highest honors to students with a GPA of 3.8 and a thesis grade of A.
*The International Studies GPA is calculated on the basis of those courses that are required to complete the IS major and that are included on the IS degree audit sheet.
Length
The thesis should be between 70-90 double-spaced pages with normal margins. If the thesis is written in one of the IS languages, the thesis should be between 40-50 pages.
Advising and Registration
The advising and registration procedures are as follows:
1. Towards the middle of the semester preceding the start of the thesis the student should contact the track director, and submit an unofficial transcript and an advising check-sheet listing all courses counting towards the major and those in which the student will be enrolled as a Senior.
2. At least two weeks prior to Banner registration, the student should find a thesis advisor and a second reader. The principal thesis advisor should normally be from the department in which the student is concentrating. The second reader should be from a different department than that of the principal advisor. Exceptions can only be permitted by the IS track director.
3. If the student plans to write the thesis in a foreign language, permission must be obtained from the Chair of the appropriate language department. The Chair may ask to see a two-page précis (in the language) of the main thesis ideas.
4. The student should submit the Declaration Form by email to the director, the advisor, thesis advisor, second reader, and coordinator seven days before the start of Registration. The declaration form indicates that the student intends to write a thesis and has found an advisor. This form is available from the program coordinator.
5. Once the track director, the advisor, the thesis advisor, the second reader, and the coordinator have received the declaration form and, for a foreign-language thesis, permission from the relevant language Chair, the track director will allow the student to register to write a thesis.
Topics
Students should write their thesis in their chosen IS discipline. Only the Director of International Studies, in consultation with the appropriate track director, can permit a student to write a thesis in a different discipline and using a different methodology. In other words, a student whose discipline is economics may not write a thesis on geography without the Director’s permission.
Prerequisites
Some departments require or encourage pre-requisites. For example:
Art History: Students must register for the senior Art History thesis course, which covers three terms (i.e. the whole Senior year).
History: Students should be aware that the department offers a Senior History Thesis Workshop which is designed to help students in the Fall and Winter terms. IS students are strongly encouraged to participate.
Religion: Students must begin by writing a one-semester Senior Project which, if judged successful by the thesis advisor, may be continued as a two-semester thesis.
Prospectus and Bibliography
The prospectus and bibliography are due no later than 3 p.m. on the Friday of the 6th week of class during the first semester of the thesis. Students writing Winter-Spring theses should submit their prospectuses and bibliography by 3 p.m. on the Friday of the 2nd week of Winter term. Copies of the prospectus and bibliography must be delivered to the principal thesis advisor, the second reader, the track director, and the program coordinator.
A prospectus should a) define the research question(s) to be answered in the thesis; b) explain the intellectual importance of the thesis; and c) outline how the project will be completed, i.e., sources and methodology.
Use of Foreign Languages Sources
Students are expected to use some foreign language sources in their senior thesis or project.
Senior Project
Students in East Asian Studies who decide to not write a thesis must register for a one-term senior independent research project of approximately 30 to 50 pages. Students who select this option should register for EAS 0500 for the Winter Term of the senior year. Only the EAS director can make exceptions for students unable to conduct their projects during the Winter Term.
Students whose disciplinary track is Religion, are required to write a one-term Senior Project as both a disciplinary requirement and a prerequisite to writing a two-term thesis. IS/Religion students may choose to not turn their Senior Project into a thesis. However, in this case, students will be required to enroll in an IS senior seminar.
Deadlines
See above for the Declaration Form and the Prospectus and Bibliography deadlines. Be sure to confirm all dates with your primary advisor.
Fall-Winter Term Theses
Final copy due to advisors by 3 p.m. on the Friday of the 3rd week of Winter term classes.
Fall-Spring, Winter-Spring, and Spring-Fall Term Theses
Final copy due to advisors by 3 p.m. on the Friday of the 11th week of classes in the second semester of the thesis.
Grace Period
International Studies has no grace period. Failure to submit the thesis on time will automatically result in no honors being awarded. The thesis advisors have the discretion to award a grade penalty of their choosing for late theses.
Oral Defense
Shortly after the submission of the thesis, an oral defense will be scheduled with the two readers. The purpose of the defense is twofold: to demonstrate verbal command of the thesis material and arguments and to clarify information or points in the thesis. Excellent performance on the defense cannot increase the thesis grade by more than one-third of a grade. Similarly, poor performance on the defense cannot reduce the thesis grade by more than one-third of a grade. Failure to appear for the defense may result in a failing grade for the thesis.
Students who write their theses in a foreign language must also defend in that language.
Submission
Thesis students must submit two copies of their thesis, one to each advisor. Students must submit the copies in a hard folder, available for purchase through the college store. The following information must be included on the first page of the thesis and on a 1” x 4” spine label: the thesis title, the student’s name, the month and year of submission, the student’s major (as in European Studies or Latin American Studies).
Appeals
Any appeal of a thesis grade, or the award of honors, shall be made to the track director, who will either make the final decision or request an evaluation by another colleague.